Quick answer: Most Queensland independent schools award academic scholarships through one of four tests. ACER is the most common, used by Brisbane Grammar, Gregory Terrace, Somerville House and most of the schools below, with a shared sitting on Saturday 27 February 2027. EduTest is used by schools such as St Peters Lutheran, St John's Anglican and many Lutheran colleges. HAST is used for state school gifted programs and Brisbane State High School, and AAS by Churchie and Whitsunday Anglican. For 2028 entry, most tests fall between late January and early March 2027, but some schools test as early as August or October and others as late as May.
This guide covers 66 Queensland schools, each with its own page. Use the tables to find your school's test, then click through for dates, fees, value and criteria.
The four scholarship tests at a glance
| Test | Who runs it | Sections (Year 7 entry) | Used by |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACER | Australian Council for Educational Research | Written Expression, Humanities, Mathematics (Level 1) | Most Queensland independent schools |
| EduTest | EduTest | Verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading, maths (30 minutes each) and a 15-minute writing task | Many Lutheran and Anglican colleges; QASMT |
| HAST | ACER (Higher Ability Selection Test) | Reading, mathematical reasoning, abstract reasoning, writing | Brisbane State High School; state school programs |
| AAS | Academic Assessment Services | Reading, maths, reasoning and writing (no public specification) | Churchie, Whitsunday Anglican |
More detail: The ACER scholarship test explained · EduTest vs ACER · HAST results explained
2027 scholarship calendar (for 2028 entry)
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 30 October 2026 | Grace Lutheran College applications close |
| 2 November 2026 | A.B. Paterson College registration opens |
| November 2026 | All Saints Anglican School applications open |
| December 2026 | The Springfield Anglican College EduTest registrations open |
| 18 December 2026 | Coomera Anglican College applications close |
| 22 January 2027 | Coomera Anglican ACER exam; Emmanuel College EduTest registration and A.B. Paterson registration close |
| 24 January 2027 | Ormiston College registration closes |
| 27 January 2027 | Saint Stephen's College applications close |
| 31 January 2027 | Trinity Anglican School (Cairns) applications close |
| 3 February 2027 | St Peters Lutheran College EduTest registrations close |
| 6 February 2027 | A.B. Paterson ACER exam; Emmanuel College EduTest; Saint Stephen's ACER test |
| 7 February 2027 | ACER cooperative registrations close (Brisbane Grammar, Clayfield, Gregory Terrace, Fairholme, Loreto, Stuartholme, St Margaret's and others) |
| 11 February 2027 | Ormiston College ACER exam (a Thursday) |
| 12 February 2027 | St John's Anglican College EduTest registration closes |
| 13 February 2027 | St Peters Lutheran EduTest; Grace Lutheran scholarship test |
| 15 February 2027 | Northside Christian College EduTest standard fee deadline |
| 24 February 2027 | St John's Anglican EduTest |
| 27 February 2027 | ACER cooperative sitting: Brisbane Grammar, Brisbane Boys' College, Clayfield, John Paul College, Ipswich Grammar, Gregory Terrace, Nudgee, Loreto, Stuartholme, St Margaret's, Fairholme, Toowoomba Grammar and others |
| 6 March 2027 | Northside Christian College EduTest |
| Early March 2027 | LORDS Lutheran College scholarship test |
| March 2027 | Citipointe Christian College EduTest |
| 16 April 2027 | Trinity College Beenleigh applications close |
| 8 May 2027 | Trinity College Beenleigh ACER exam |
| May 2027 | Townsville Grammar Round 2; All Souls St Gabriels testing |
Off-cycle schools: Southern Cross Catholic College tests in October and St James Lutheran College in August, more than a year before entry. Both 2026 rounds have already closed.
Every school, by region
Brisbane
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane Grammar School | ACER | 7, 10 | Registration closes 7 Feb; test 27 Feb 2027 |
| Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar) | AAS (ACER considered) | 7 and later | Testing every February |
| Brisbane Girls Grammar School | No academic scholarships | 5, 7 | Means-tested bursaries only |
| Brisbane Boys' College | ACER | 5 to 11 | Test 27 Feb 2027 |
| Somerville House | ACER | 7 and later | Applications close 7 Feb 2027 |
| St Peters Lutheran College | EduTest | 7, 10 | Registrations close 3 Feb; test 13 Feb 2027 |
| St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace | ACER | 7, 10 | Registration closes 7 Feb; test 27 Feb 2027 |
| St Joseph's Nudgee College | ACER | 7 to 10 | Test 27 Feb 2027 |
| St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School | ACER | 7 to 10 | See school page |
| Clayfield College | ACER | 7 to 11 | Registration closes 7 Feb; test 27 Feb 2027 |
| Lourdes Hill College | ACER | 7, 10 | Applications open now |
| Loreto College Coorparoo | ACER | 7, 10 | Applications close 7 Feb; exam 27 Feb 2027 |
| Mount Alvernia College | ACER | 7, 10 | On-site test, February 2027 |
| Brigidine College | ACER | 7 | Test in February of Year 6 |
| Stuartholme School | ACER | 7 to 11 | Applications close 7 Feb; test 27 Feb 2027 |
| St Margaret's Anglican Girls School | ACER | 7 to 11 | Applications close 7 Feb; exam 27 Feb 2027 |
| Citipointe Christian College | EduTest | 7 | Registrations open Jan; exam March 2027 |
| Cannon Hill Anglican College | EduTest | 7 | Exam in the first quarter of 2027 |
| Northside Christian College | EduTest | Up to 4 awards | Register by 15 Feb; exam 6 Mar 2027 |
| Prince of Peace Lutheran College | EduTest | 7, 9, 11 | Expect a March 2027 exam |
| St Paul's School (Bald Hills) | School exam (EduTest client) | 7 to 11 | Expect a March 2027 exam |
| St John's Anglican College | EduTest | 7, 10 | Registration closes 12 Feb; exam 24 Feb 2027 |
| Islamic College of Brisbane | ACER | 7 | Term 3 of Year 6 |
| Kelvin Grove State College (Academic Achievers) | School exam (HAST list) | 7 | See school page |
| Albany Creek State High School (Catalyst) | HAST | 7 | Mid-year test (last: 13 Jun 2026) |
Moreton Bay and Redcliffe
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grace Lutheran College | School test (ACER list) | 7 to 10 | Applications close 30 Oct 2026; test 13 Feb 2027 |
| The Lakes College | School test (EduTest client) | 7 to 11 | 2028 details early 2027 |
| Southern Cross Catholic College | ACER | 7 to 10 | October each year (last: 17 Oct 2026) |
| Murrumba State Secondary College (Engineering Excellence) | HAST plus STEM tasks | 7 | See school page |
Logan, Redlands and bayside
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Paul College | ACER | 7 to 11 | Test 27 Feb 2027 |
| Ormiston College | ACER | 7 | Registration closes 24 Jan; exam 11 Feb 2027 |
| Moreton Bay College | ACER | 7 to 11 | 2028 round to be published |
| Trinity College Beenleigh | ACER | See school page | Applications close 16 Apr; exam 8 May 2027 |
Ipswich and Springfield
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich Grammar School | ACER | 7 to 11 | Test 27 Feb 2027 |
| Ipswich Girls' Grammar School | ACER plus school exam | 7 to 12 | 2028 applications expected late 2026 |
| The Springfield Anglican College | EduTest | 7 | Registrations open Dec 2026 |
| West Moreton Anglican College | School exam (EduTest client) | See school page | See school page |
Gold Coast
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Southport School | School exam (HAST list) | 7 to 11 | See school page |
| St Hilda's School | EduTest | 5, 7, 10 | Expect February 2027 (last: 28 Feb 2026) |
| Emmanuel College | EduTest | 7, 10 | Registration closes 22 Jan; exam 6 Feb 2027 |
| A.B. Paterson College | ACER | 7, 10, 11 | Registration 2 Nov to 22 Jan; exam 6 Feb 2027 |
| All Saints Anglican School | ACER | 7, 10, 11 | Applications open November 2026 |
| Coomera Anglican College | ACER | 7 to 12 | Applications close 18 Dec 2026; exam 22 Jan 2027 |
| Saint Stephen's College | ACER | 7 to 11 | Applications close 27 Jan; test 6 Feb 2027 |
| Trinity Lutheran College | EduTest | 6, 7 (last round) | Expect February 2027 (last: 14 Feb 2026) |
| LORDS Lutheran College | School test (EduTest client) | 7 to 12 | Exam early March 2027 |
| Benowa State High School (Academic Excellence) | HAST | 7 | See school page |
Sunshine Coast
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Lutheran College | EduTest | 6 to 11 | Expect March 2027 (last: 14 Mar 2026) |
| Good Shepherd Lutheran College | School test (EduTest client) | 6 to 11 | See school page |
Toowoomba and Darling Downs
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toowoomba Grammar School | ACER | 7, 10 | Exam 27 Feb 2027 |
| Fairholme College | ACER | 7, 10 | Applications close 7 Feb; exam 27 Feb 2027 |
| The Glennie School | School test (ACER list) | See school page | Applications open; testing early 2027 |
| Concordia Lutheran College | EduTest | 7 to 12 | Exam February 2027 (date TBA) |
| SCOTS PGC College (Warwick) | ACER | See school page | Contact the college |
| St John's Lutheran School (Kingaroy) | EduTest | See school page | Mid-year round (last closed 30 Jul 2026) |
Wide Bay and Central Queensland
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| St James Lutheran College (Hervey Bay) | EduTest | 7, 10 | August each year (last: 22 Aug 2026) |
| Bundaberg Christian College | ACER | 7 to 12 | See school page |
| The Rockhampton Grammar School | ACER | 7, 10 | See school page |
| Rockhampton Girls Grammar School | ACER | 6, 7, 10 | Enquire with the school |
North Queensland
| School | Test | Entry years | Next key date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Townsville Grammar School | ACER | 5, 7, 10, 11 | Round 1 Feb 2027; Round 2 May 2027 |
| The Cathedral School (Townsville) | EduTest | 7 | Register for the 2028 information pack |
| All Souls St Gabriels School (Charters Towers) | ACER | 7, 11 | May each year (last: 16 May 2026) |
| Whitsunday Anglican School (Mackay) | AAS | 7 to 11 | See school page |
| Trinity Anglican School (Cairns) | School exam (ACER used) | 7 and later | Applications close 31 Jan 2027 |
| Peace Lutheran College (Cairns) | EduTest | See school page | 2028 dates to be released |
| Freshwater Christian College (Cairns) | ACER | 5, 7, 9, 11 | April each year (last: 27 Apr 2026) |
State selective schools
| School | Test | Entry | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisbane State High School | HAST-P (Year 5), HAST (Year 6) | Year 7 | BSHS entry guide |
| Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology | EduTest | Year 7 | QASMT entry guide |
What these schools publish about value
Most schools don't say what a scholarship is worth, but some do:
- Full tuition: the St Hilda's Year 10 Foundation Scholarship (one student) and The Southport School Foundation Scholarship (Year 6 entry).
- Up to 100%: Mount Alvernia College (50 to 100%).
- Up to 75%: St John's Anglican College, Freshwater Christian College.
- Linked to percentile: John Paul College gives 50% above the 95th percentile and 25% above the 90th.
- Top 2% on the test: Whitsunday Anglican School says academic winners typically score in the top 2% on AAS.
- A fixed dollar amount: Southern Cross Catholic College gives $2,500 a year, with up to 10 awards.
How to choose which tests to sit
- Sit the ACER cooperative test once and send results to every ACER school you register with on 27 February 2027.
- Use early tests as practice. Coomera Anglican (22 January), A.B. Paterson, Emmanuel and Saint Stephen's (6 February) and Ormiston (11 February) come before the main ACER date.
- Register for EduTest with one email address so results can be matched across schools in the same cycle.
- Check the year level. Year 7 entry uses ACER Level 1; primary entry (Years 4 to 6) uses Level P or a primary test.
- Don't miss the off-cycle schools. Grace Lutheran closes on 30 October 2026, and Southern Cross Catholic and St James Lutheran test in the second half of the year.
Practice for Queensland scholarship tests
Our practice tests are built for each format, with worked explanations, a skill breakdown and writing marked by a human teacher.
- ACER scholarship practice tests
- EduTest practice tests
- HAST-style practice tests (BSHS)
- QASMT practice tests
These are independent practice materials, not official test papers, and they don't predict scholarship outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
Which scholarship test do most Queensland schools use?
ACER. Most independent schools in this guide use the ACER scholarship test, and many share the cooperative sitting on Saturday 27 February 2027.
When are Queensland scholarship tests for 2028 entry?
Mostly between late January and early March 2027. A few schools test earlier (August to October 2026) or later (April to May 2027).
Can my child sit one test for several schools?
For ACER's cooperative program, yes: register with each school and sit once. EduTest results can be transferred between participating schools in the same cycle if you use the same email address.
Does Brisbane Girls Grammar offer academic scholarships?
No. Brisbane Girls Grammar offers means-tested bursaries instead. See the Brisbane Girls Grammar page.
What is the difference between ACER and EduTest?
ACER Level 1 has written expression, humanities and maths. EduTest has verbal and numerical reasoning, reading, maths and a short 15-minute writing task. See EduTest vs ACER.
Practice Tests & Exams is an independent provider and is not affiliated with any school, ACER, EduTest or AAS. Details are from each school's website and the test providers as of 27 October 2026. Dates change each year, so always check the school's own site before registering.
Sources and further information
Check the school or assessment provider for current arrangements.
Not sure where to start?
Explore more parent guides
- A.B. Paterson College scholarships: the ACER exam and 2027 dates
- Albany Creek State High School Catalyst program: HAST entry, dates and how to prepare
- All Saints Anglican School scholarships: the ACER test and how to apply